EUREKA SPRINGS - After a 30 percent rate increase last year that left residents and business owners complaining about their water bills, city water rates are scheduled to rise again. City Council decided at last Wednesday's budget meeting to investigate whether it can waive the automatic increase tied to the consumer price index that was approved by the previous council.

Finance director Diane Murphy told council she is mandated under city law to impose a 1.4 percent rate increase, but thought council might have the ability to waive the increase. She advised council not to waive the annual increase for more than one year. "Previous councils worked hard to get it in place because we went so many year's without an increase," Murphy said. She agreed, however, that the current year's increase should be waived after such a large increase last year.

Council agreed to ask the city attorney to investigate its options. Murphy said that if no decision was reached by Monday's council meeting, she would have to increase rates Tuesday.